Hockey Books

The backdrop of REBEL GLORY is the world of junior hockey in Canada. Craig plays for the Red Deer Rebels. If he can help take them to the playoffs, his chances of making his way into the NHL would be almost guaranteed. Craig's entire focus is hockey, and when the team's performance begins to slip, he worries that his dreams will amount to nothing.

The Red Deer Rebels are suddenly plagued by bad luck. One player finds his hockey gear infested with cockroaches, a game on the road is jeopardized by not one, but two flat tires, and team uniforms are mistakenly washed with fiberglass insulation, causing itchy rashes that distract the players during the game. Craig begins to realize that many other incidents seem to be pointing to some sort of team sabotage.

Sigmund Brouwer provides an inside view of junior hockey and one player's determination to save not just his own career, but his entire team's reputation. REBEL GLORY is written in a fast-paced style and at a comfortable reading level that will attract even the most reluctant readers.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

I am 12 years old and really liked this book! I already ordered the other sequels. Rebel Glory was funny in some parts and there were mysteries to figure out, too. At first, I didn't want to read it, but now I'm thirsty for more! Sigmund Brouwer, you're the best!

Im not a big reader but my wife brought home rebel glory for my son wesley who is 10 and plays roller hockey. Well I picked it up and started reading it and couldn't put it down. Since then we have the hole series and we are sharing them with Wesleys team mates to introduce them to Sigmund Brower. Thanks for good clean books that chidren can read, as well as us big kids.

I love all the books in this series. They are funny and easy to read and each book is a story in itself. I am collecting them all and have read about 10 or so. This is a great book for grades 4-6.

I think that this book is a good book. It is great for children between 9 and 12, but excellent as well for anyone who wants to read a fun book.

The Characters are Wally McDoogle, Opra Livingston and Walstreet. They are each a load of fun! Join Wally and his friends in a lesson that jealousy is stupid! This is a fast pace book that makes you feel like you're Wally McDoogle, klutz extrordinaire! My favorite part was when Wally scored the winning point because Opera had helped him. I liked this book and I'm sure you'll like it too!

The NHL source for all the statistics you will need. These stats will be quickly outdated though, and you will need to buy a book every year.

As huge hockey fans, my sister and I refer to this handbook as "the Bible." We purchase every year's new edition and recycle the previous year's copy to a friend. Particularly now, with NHL players becoming more mobile and expansion widening the pool of players, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep up with who's who and who's where. This particular guide, published by the league, is the best organized and most information-filled of all the guides we've used as a reference.

We rarely watch a game at home without asking a question that is always answered by consulting "the Bible." If you are fan of NHL hockey, buy this book!

If you want statistical information about your favorite hockey player, this is the book for you. The first section provides all the team information, including rosters, front office personnel and other directory information. All player stats are included in this section. Additional information includes information on the captains and general managers throuout the history of the franchise. Finally you get a list of the team's results through time. The record book section details all the possible records, both for individuals and for teams. Included are Stanley Cup records. The largest section is the player register. Here you have information on all players who are on NHL rosters including draft picks who are toiling in the minors. All players stats are here so you can see how a player did 5 years ago. The goaltenders are separated from the player register. At the end of each section are a listing of retired players and their statistics. If you are a hockey fan! ! , you must get this book!

This book has been slammed by others, but I have to say, it is one of the must read books on this time period in the NHL. In my opinion, read this, along with Game Misconduct by Russ Conway and Cracked Ice by Stan Fischler. The three books will give you a pretty good idea of what really went on. This book is well written, and interesting from beginning to end. It goes fast, but you will enjoy it.

BY DAN MORELAND

Of the four major sports, the most volatile when it comes to it's management is the National Hockey League.

"Power Plays" is the first book I can think of to truly expose the inner workings of the NHL. Told from an insider's point of view, this is a must for any fan of the sport. Especially enjoyable were the retellings of the NHL-WHA merger and the referee walkout during the NJ-Boston playoff game.

Most of the book is hard to put down, but there are two chapters that make it drag. One is how Clarence Campbell was overthrown as NHL Prez in the 1970s. Stein then uses the final chapter to defend the Hall of Fame's decision to induct him while still President in 1993, a read that seems to drag on forever.

Nonetheless, "Power Plays" is the only recent insider's look into the wackiest of the 4 big leagues. Plus, the first few chapters about the Broad Street Bullies are priceless!

Since the book was written in 1997, the crazy goings on with the Islanders, Coyotes, Hurricanes, and Penguins franchises of the last few years is not included. Nor are other great hockey tales such as Eric Lindros and other players battles with management; or the Marty McSorely incident.

Al Stracken? Al Morganti? Possible books, guys? . . . .

Gil Stein has written an absorbing account of a dangerous sport, not of its playing action, but of the violent skirmishes of its owners as they meet behind the closed doors of the NHL's Board of Governors executive sessions. They make the game on ice look like Sunday afternoon croquet on the lawn of the Baptist Church. This is a wonderful behind-the-scenes book; but it is not all disillusioning. A number of the original clubowners were real sportsmen devoted to the game of ice hockey and its glorious action, although some can no longer afford the financial losses and have had to sell their teams to extremely wealthy patrons or to corporate monoliths, both with a bottom-line myopia. In the 1996-97 season, almost 200 players received guaranteed salaries of over a million dollars; "but money has not spoiled hockey players. They still play the game with zeal and ferocity and NHL hockey is more exciting today than ever. The players may have lots of money, but deep inside they are the same kids who learned to skate on frozen ponds and dreamed every night of their lives that someday they would hoist the Stanley Cup above their heads while skating a victory lap before their fans." It is this excitement that Gil Stein captures in his book and the ferocity too of owners warring with each other out of the view of the public. It is all there and all fun to read. Just as Gil Stein has enjoyed the game of hockey, he has enjoyed writing this book, and you too will enjoy its reading. Don't miss the splendid introduction on pages xi to xv. John L. Dusseau (gilbi@msn.com) Gladwyne, Pennsylvania

I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK CONCERNING A VERY NICE LOOK AT SOME OF THE PLAYERS AND HISTORY OF THE NY RANGERS. BRIAN MCFARLANE DOES IT AGAIN AS HE HAS IN ALL OF HIS ORIGINAL SIX BOOKS. THIS TIME HE TAKES US THRU A BRIEF BUT DETAILED LOOK AT MANY OF THE RANGER PLAYERS AND COACHES. FROM THE COOK BROTHERS, EMILE FRANCIS, GILBERT, RATELLE TO MESSIER AND GRETZKY. BUT TO ME THE REAL HIGHLIGHT WAS FINALLY WINNING THE CUP IN 1994. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS EASY READING AND ENTERTAINING BOOK. RECOMMENDED FOR ALL HOCKEY FANS.

If you're a fan of hockey, from the original six to the 1990s, this is a book to read. Anecdotes abound courtesy of Mr. Mcfarlane, from the night 44 year old coach Lester Patrick stepped in as goaltender during a playoff series in 1928, to the night Eddie Giacomin returned to the Garden in a Red Wing uniform, to Phil Esposito's haphazzard management, to the Cup in 1994...Mr. Mcfarlane's Original Six series is exactly what hockey is about. Only an Islander fan would hate this book, and that's exactly how it should be...For real hockey fans, it's sure to to be enjoyed, and reread several times...

Although this is a pretty solid book of anecdotes on the NY Rangers, somehow the GAG (Goal-A-Game) Line gets nary a mention despite a piece each on Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert. How could Brian MacFarlane not tell the full story of the third member of that line, Vic Hadfield, and his tossing Bernie Parent's mask into the stands during a playoff game at the Garden. That tale warrants a short mention in the appendix only.

There are a few bad editing errors as Ranger great Ching Johnson is referred to as Ching "Johnston" throughout the book bar the appendix. There is a photo of Ratelle in a game vs. Buffalo but the caption refers to Dale Rolfe's pounding by Flyer Dave Schultz in the '74 playoffs. That same page features a photo of Brad Park but when he was with the B's (Ranger fans should be outraged at that, shouldn't they?). Ditto the photo of goalie Lorne Chabot who is seen wearing a Leaf jersey. Was the publisher prevented from accessing NY papers' or the Rangers' own photo archives so had to rely on other sources?

Overall the book's pretty much like the Rangers' history, a few moments of brilliance in an otherwise memorable run of near misses.

This book is a collection of articles concerning Tim Horton. Very complimentary of the man and player, the articles definitely give you a feel for the time and play of Tim Horton.

Known to most of us because of the donuts (and they are really good!), this collection allows a glimpse of the man as well. I would recommend this book for those who want a feel for 50 and 60s hockey, as well as those who want the feel of the times.

This is a great book for those interested in hockey behind the scenes. It is very interesting to read stories told by people such as Punch Imlach etc. about Tim Horton off the ice, in the dressing room and family man. This book is not only for those hockey fans of the 6 team days, but modern day hockey fanatics as well.

To today's young hockey players and fans, the name Tim Horton elicits thoughts of coffee and donuts; to an older generation of fans, the name Tim Horton brings memories of one of the greatest defenseman ever to play the sport.

Tim Horton was the strongest hockey player of his generation, perhaps of all-time. He was not a goon, however -- he would end fights simply by wrapping his muscular arms around much-bigger players and pulling them apart. He was known for his generosity and gratitude. His teammates made gentle fun of his poor eyesight, calling him "Cousin Weak-Eyes." Horton and Bobby Baun anchored a Leaf defense unmatched in team history.

Tragically, Tim Horton was killed in a car accident in February 1974. Hockey lost one of its heroes.

Craig MacInnis's REMEMBERING TIM HORTON is a terrific look back at the man and the legend. MacInnis and his roster of veteran journalists and writers bring us back to the days when honor meant more than stardom, when pride and winning meant more than a contract hold-out and who's picked higher in the NHL draft, when the Leafs were fighting to winning the Stanley Cup instead of hurrying to pack up their golf bags a few weeks earlier than the Cup champions.

Are You Afraid of the Dark- The Tale of the Horrifying Hockey Team, is a mystery book by K.S Rodriguez. It takes place in the 21st century in a small town in the United States

One day John, a kind, smart, athletic, twelve year old, and his friends come to their hockey pond and see other kids playing at their pond. The other kids said they would not give the pond back. John's team said that they would play them for the pond. If John's team wins they get to keep the pond or if the other team wins they get to keep the pond. It is a battle between the two teams.

I thought it was a very good book. It's suspenseful. A couple of scenes were impossible to believe because people cannot disappear. But overall it was good.

The age I would recommend is 10-12 years old. This is a good book for people who like mystery books, people who are hockey fans, and people who watch the TV show Are You Afraid of the Dark.

Will John let the other team win or will he win and let his friends die?

When alex signs in for the hockey team, He realizes that the other team plays bad. All the other hockey players on that team only says "WE GOTTA WIN, WE GOTTA WIN". Later, alex finds out the truth about these hockey players.

This is my most favorite book!. The kids on the hockey team has a secret.

I bought this for my son for Christmas and I hope he likes it, What I read It sounds like he would really like it seems full of info he didn't have.He likes trivial info like what is in the book. I think he will like the history in here.

A nicely done book with a bunch of humorous stories about the Pittsburgh Penguins. Joe Starkey takes the reader way back to the start of the Penguins and tells their story by recounting numerous little stories about the players, the staff and the NHL. Each story is about half a page long and follows along in chronological order. A nice introduction from Mike Lange heads off the book. My only complaint is that there wasn't a strong conclusion, just a final chapter on Sidney Crosby's rookie season. A great read for all fans especially fans like myself who were just in 1st grade when the Pens won the Stanley Cup. Older fans will enjoy the trip down memory lane.

At times the writing seemed a little bit like reading something a 6th grader wrote, but the stories were great! I recommend this!

James DuPlacey's Official Rules Of Hockey provides a history and illustrated guide to the rules of hockey, blending in case history stories and photos with surveys of equipment, changing rules, and teams. Hockey players will find this a lively account which packs in fun, involving stories of the sport.

The Annotated Rules of Hockey breaks down every rule in effect in the NHL and describes the events leading up to them. Being both fascinating and humorous, any fan of the game (or fans of any game) will love it. This book is a great way to learn about famous players, coaches, teams, officials, and rinks. It also offers detailed game photographs of penalties, fights, and goals, including hand signals. It's perfect for new fans, or long-time followers of hockey. I was very satisfied with the simplicity of the format, unlike other books describing the rules. It's a great way to impress your friends by telling them why we have things like blue lines in the greatest game on earth.

i saw the story about this book that was shown on espn. As a student who is pursuing a masters in history and a loyal hockey fan, this book would have been a very interesting/enjoyable read for me. I am disappointed though that I cannot find this book anywhere. what gives amazon? I figured with the promotion of this book seen on espn this book would be readily available. thats not the case. i still hope to someday read this book as the authors have put vast amounts of time and effort in the rearching of this topic to write a great book of history.

Being a diehard hockey fan and history teacher, I bought this book wanting to learn more of the history of the game, but the historical perspective of the establishment of blacks in Canada and the development of their communities is a great addition that I did not foresee.
If you are looking for chronicals of the games and league alone, this book is not for you. Only a few chapters are dedicated to these accounts. But, if you can appreciate historical ideas that may challenge your previous assumptions during this era, I would highly recommend, Black Ice.